The woman maintained an air of quiet dignity befitting her station, but it was obvious to Nadrina that something annoyed her. Her perfectly styled eyebrows were creased in a frown, while her foot tapped out a rapid, irritated pace.

“The staff told me we would only have the one class. I thought it rather odd, since we would normally rotate classrooms, and to only have four students...” the girl said, more to herself than Nadrina.

“N-Not sure,” Nadrina muttered, trying to take the nervous energy out of her voice. “I’m new here, so I don’t know what to expect, really.” She was hoping the girl would just find her boring and move on.

“Oh, you are?” the girl asked, flashing Nadrina her smile of a million suns again. “I am as well! Shortly after tutoring with my family's lecturers, I came here to start my first school year. I’m more than a little excited to finally begin a real, in-depth education, free from family politics and expectations.”

“Noble children go to school before actually going to school? That’s so weird.” Nadrina’s words had come flying out of her mouth before her brain caught up. Her usual curiosity had flared up again at the worst of times, and now it sounded like she was insulting this noble girl. This very well known, probably powerful noble girl.

To Nadrina’s surprise, the girl only laughed. It was an honest, girlish giggle. “I know, right? To be honest, I’ve been looking forward to striking out on my own. I was growing increasingly tired of being told the same things over and over, ad nauseam! It was like they had run out of things to teach me.”

She theatrically rolled her eyes, an expression Nadrina never thought she’d see someone of the peerage make.

“Oh! My apologies,” she blurted, looking embarrassed. “I completely neglected to introduce myself. I am Lilianna Asimov, of House Asimov.”

Nadrina had been slowly loosening up as they talked, but her whole body locked up when she heard this girl’s family name. Even someone as out of her element as her knew of the Four Great Houses of Rhagia.

“My apologies for going on about myself, but I never asked for your name?” Lilianna continued, oblivious to Nadrina’s sudden panic.

“I-I’m N-Nadrina Flemming,” she stuttered out, then hurriedly added, “Nice to m-meet you, ma’am.”

“Flemming? I am not familiar with that noble house. Are they in Rhagia?” the girl asked curiously.

“U-Um,” Nadrina’s voice faltered, realizing that she was going to be dealing with this sooner rather than later. “I’m from Genosa village at the southern tip of the continent. I’m n-not a noble...”

Nadrina saw the moment Lilianna realized it, her brows raising and her mouth forming a perfect ‘oh’ shape. Her reaction summed up Nadrina’s worst fears.

“A-Ah, I... see,” the girl answered, clearly taken aback.